--- a/artifact-database/src/main/java/de/intevation/artifactdatabase/Backend.java	Tue Apr 26 06:56:01 2011 +0000
+++ b/artifact-database/src/main/java/de/intevation/artifactdatabase/Backend.java	Tue Apr 26 07:43:40 2011 +0000
@@ -168,6 +168,12 @@
     public static final String SQL_COLLECTION_ITEMS_INSERT =
         SQL.get("collection.items.insert");
 
+    public static final String SQL_COLLECTION_GET_ATTRIBUTE =
+        SQL.get("collection.get.attribute");
+
+    public static final String SQL_COLLECTION_SET_ATTRIBUTE =
+        SQL.get("collection.set.attribute");
+
     public static final String SQL_COLLECTION_ITEM_GET_ATTRIBUTE =
         SQL.get("collection.item.get.attribute");
 
@@ -1202,6 +1208,70 @@
         return exec.runWrite();
     }
 
+    public Document getCollectionAttribute(final String collectionId) {
+        if (!isValidIdentifier(collectionId)) {
+            logger.debug("collection id is not valid: " + collectionId);
+        }
+
+        final byte[][] data = new byte[1][1];
+
+        SQLExecutor exec = new SQLExecutor() {
+            public boolean doIt() throws SQLException {
+                prepareStatement(SQL_COLLECTION_GET_ATTRIBUTE);
+                stmnt.setString(1, collectionId);
+                result = stmnt.executeQuery();
+                if (!result.next()) {
+                    logger.debug("No such collection.");
+                    return false;
+                }
+
+                data[0] = result.getBytes(1);
+                return true;
+            }
+        };
+
+        return exec.runRead()
+            ? XMLUtils.fromByteArray(data[0], true)
+            : null;
+    }
+
+    public boolean setCollectionAttribute(
+        final String   collectionId,
+        Document       attribute
+    ) {
+        if (!isValidIdentifier(collectionId)) {
+            logger.debug("collection id is not valid: " + collectionId);
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        final byte [] data = XMLUtils.toByteArray(attribute, true);
+
+        return new SQLExecutor() {
+            public boolean doIt() throws SQLException {
+
+                // set the column in collection items
+                prepareStatement(SQL_COLLECTION_SET_ATTRIBUTE);
+                if (data == null) {
+                    stmnt.setNull(1, Types.BINARY);
+                }
+                else {
+                    stmnt.setBytes(1, data);
+                }
+                stmnt.setString(2, collectionId);
+                stmnt.execute();
+                reset();
+
+                // touch the collection
+                prepareStatement(SQL_COLLECTIONS_TOUCH_BY_GID);
+                stmnt.setString(1, collectionId);
+                stmnt.execute();
+
+                conn.commit();
+                return true;
+            }
+        }.runWrite();
+    }
+
     public Document getCollectionItemAttribute(
         final String collectionId,
         final String artifactId